a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automatic performance data conversion techniques, and more particularly to automatic performance data conversion techniques for converting automatic performance data of one type into another type.
b) Description of the Related Art
Musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) data is standardized musical performance data capable of being used commonly by electronic musical instruments. GM standard is a fundamental standard (high level standard) of MIDI data. The GM standard determines only basic rules of musical performance data. Standards defining the details of the GM standard are GS and XG standards. Although both the GS and XG standards are in conformity with the GM standard, they have some difference in details. For example, some of tone color numbers of the two standards are different and some kinds of effect or effect parameters are different.
Electronic musical instruments and sound sources have been prepared independently for GS standard use and XG standard use. For example, if MIDI data of the GS standard is supplied to an electronic musical instrument of the XG standard, sounds may be reproduced in unexpected tone colors and effects.
Karaoke sing-along machines in communications use are now prevailing widely. If a new musical program is to be supplied to a karaoke sing-along machine, automatic performance data of this musical program is generated and transmitted over a network to the machine. As the number of musical programs increases, the amount of automatic performance data increases. Since automatic performance data for new musical programs has been generated one after another in a karaoke communication field, there is a large stock of automatic performance data available in this field.
Automatic performance data used by karaoke communications is mainly constituted of MIDI data. There are two types of MIDI data, GS standard MIDI data and XG standard MIDI data. Correspondingly, there are two types of automatic performance data, GS standard and XG standard types.
For example, if automatic performance data of the GS standard is reproduced with a karaoke sing-along machine of the XG type, the musical program cannot be reproduced properly because of a difference between tone color arrays or the like, and performance inherent to its musical program cannot be expected. Even if a large amount of automatic performance data of one standard is in possession, a karaoke sing-along machine of another standard cannot reproduce it and the resources of such automatic performance data becomes wasteful.
If the standard of MIDI data or automatic performance data is different, electronic musical instruments or karaoke sing-along machines may produce unexpected sounds, and in some cases combinations of these machines and data cannot be used in practice. Even a large amount of MIDI data or automatic performance data stocked from the past to date cannot be used with electronic musical instruments and karaoke sing-along machines of a different standard, and is left in vain.